A Redby man, with a significant criminal history including two prior federal convictions, has been sentenced to 112 months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. The sentence also includes five years of supervised release, according to an announcement by Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
"The pipeline of deadly drugs to Red Lake and Indian Country must end," stated Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. "Redby trafficked in poison, profiting from the addiction and misery of some of our most vulnerable. He will rightly spend nearly a decade in federal prison."
Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr., from FBI Minneapolis, commented on the case: "Fentanyl kills silently, claiming the lives of unsuspecting victims struggling with substance abuse. By introducing fentanyl and methamphetamine into the Red Lake community, Donnell preyed on the vulnerable to enrich himself. This sentence demonstrates that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue and bring to justice those who use drugs to exploit and attack communities."
Court documents reveal that in September 2024, Bobby Lee Donnell purchased approximately 454 grams of methamphetamine and around 100 grams of fentanyl from Minneapolis. His plan was to distribute these substances within the Red Lake Nation area. However, his intentions were thwarted when a Minnesota State Trooper stopped his vehicle for a traffic infraction in Morrison County. A subsequent search led to the discovery of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and a digital scale.
Donnell's criminal record shows he is a repeat offender with numerous convictions across tribal, state, and federal courts. At the time of this offense, he was already under supervised release for previous federal convictions related to possessing obscene material with intent to sell.
The sentencing took place at the U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud who imposed a concurrent 12-month sentence for violating federal supervised release along with his primary sentence.
This case was investigated by several agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), Minnesota State Patrol, and Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner prosecuted this case.
